The Wounded
by Blue Spyral
Summary: Serena lives a life full of pain, but when she meets Darien she believes he's the one that will save her. Darien has been in this situation before and doesn't want to make the same mistakes. Will Serena ever be free?
1. Serena's life

The Wounded  
  
By Blue Spyral  
  
Rated: R just to be safe  
  
Author's note: Yay!! Your about to read my story that's so great!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon  
  
~~**~~  
It's was getting late, purple and orange tinged the sky as the moon took over, banishing the sun until the next day. A young man rode his black motorcycle down the highway towards the city of angels, that's right the big city where no one knew him, where no accusations and rumors flew around like a hot potato, new environment, and most importantly where no one has ever heard the name Darien Shields.  
  
~~**~~  
  
At the same time a young women sat on her faded pink bedroom carpet, and watched the sun sink into the horizon through the window. Loud crashing sounds could be heard through the paper thin walls of her house as her parents fought. Tears streamed down her face as she heard the faint screams of her mother and the loud raspy voice of her father. This was turning out like a daily routine now; wake up, go to school, come home, make dinner, pray that her father wasn't drunk when he came home, find that he is indeed drunk and lock herself in her room until her father calmed down. But tonight was worst then all the other nights.  
  
"NOOO!!" Serena heard her mother scream out. Terror filled her heart. Mother always made sure her screams were quite enough that Serena never heard what they were saying just mumbles and faint moans and screams. 'Not like other nights' she thought once again.  
  
"Please no...." Serenity begged her husband as she regained some of her control wanting her child to have not one clue to what was going on, but it was useless. Serena always new what happened. The once bright innocent young girl is now turning out to be cold women due to the mistakes that she made. 'It's my entire fault' she thought. Now he was going to hurt Serena.  
  
"Jake, please, no. She's just a girl. I'll be better I promise, just don't hurt her,"  
  
"You'll do better? You've never even tried to be better. Why did I even marry you, you, you piece of dirt," Jake Carter slurred at his wife, "Were did you go this morning huh, where?! I saw you with that man, what's his name Ken! Ken Tsukino, now why did I see you with him this morning huh, you whore!"  
  
"Please I didn't... I don't...It was just..."  
  
"What at a loss of words my dear wife, just tell me what happened nothing will happen to you my love," Jake said a little too calmly after his loud out burst. He leaned down close to Serenity who was on the floor gripping his pant leg with her right hand and her left nursing a darkening bruise on her shoulder, which he caused when he threw her against the wall earlier. He leaned in closer until his lips barely touched hers. Serenity fought the urge to scrunch up her face when his alcohol reeked breathe blew upon her as he exhaled, knowing it would just anger him more. She racked her brain thinking of something to say but couldn't, her mind was completely blank. *What have I done to deserve this? I have never done anything a wife shouldn't do. I'm completely honest to this man; I cook, clean and do everything he asks. What am I doing that makes him this way?*  
  
Jake seeing that his wife wasn't going to answer grabbed her neck and pushed her head to the floor.  
  
"What...were...you....doing." He asked emphasizing every word by putting more pressure on her neck. Tears streamed down her face as she grabbed his hands trying to loosen the vise like grip on her neck but it was no use. She started kicking and punching but nothing stopped him he just kept adding more pressure little by little. Serenity closed her eyes knowing that it was no use fighting him. *What did I do?*  
  
Inside the small pink room Serena cried harder when all she heard was silence. She knew that silence was the worst sound of all. Horrible thoughts entered her mind as images of her mother covered in a pool of blood, dead and her father smiling down at the horrific sight in satisfaction. Willing the morbid images away she grabbed her stuffed teddy named 'Dare Bear' and squeezed him hard. He always used to make feel her better; her father gave it to her before everything bad happened, before he lost his job, before he turned to alcohol every single God damn day, before he took out his anger on his wife, and before he failed in being a father to her.  
  
Jake starred down at his wife's tear stained face and decided that this was no use. He let go of her slowly watching as she gasped and choked on some much needed air. He waited till she was breathing normally to ask one more time.  
  
"Tell me why you were with him, why I saw him starring at you like he was about to ravage you right there, and why you were smiling like a stupid teenage girl!" He yelled at his wife, at seeing his confused wife's face he decided on continuing his earlier threat about hurting Serena. He wasn't going to, but her lying to him like this was the last straw. Couldn't she see that he loved her, that he was just trying to teach her some lessons on how to be a good wife? Jake walked over to the pink door on the other end of the hallway, right foot leading the way because of having to drag his wife with his left leg. He banged on the door yelling at his only daughter to open it. When he didn't hear any movement on the other side of the door he banged harder and yelled louder. "Open this God damn door Serena. Now! Open this door now" getting fed up he kicked it open revealing a young women in a fetal position rocking back and forth clutching a ragged bear to her chest.  
  
"Please Jake don't, please just leave her out of this." Serenity begged. "Please just hurt me. He is just a friend I swear to God. He helped me carry the groceries inside the house, that's it." While saying this Serenity stared at her daughter trying to control her sobs when she saw the state she was in. Although the position she was in wasn't exactly screaming comfort, she was supposed to protect Serena.  
  
"You might be telling the truth but I still have to reassure myself that you won't ever leave me." Jake said smiling one of his dashing smiles at his wife that in other circumstances would have made her melt, sent a horrifying chill down her spine. He grabbed Serena by the hair and grabbed his belt; he pulled his hand back and whipped the startled girl. Serena cried more tears as she felt the hard leather make impact with her bare leg. Serenity watched helpless as her daughter was being punished for what she had done. Serena fought at first kicking, punching, and yelling for her mother, but then she stopped knowing that if she fought the torture would probably just take longer. She gritted her teeth and just looked at her mother telling her with her eyes that she knew it wasn't her fault he acted this way. He was drunk, violent, and very high tempered. Serenity caught what she was saying and cried harder, this was her fault, how could she be so understanding while she is being beat by her father, oh my little girl.  
  
After Jake tired out mother and daughter huddled close together. Crying and reassuring each other that everything will be okay. Even though they didn't actually believe what they were saying they still felt the need to make the other feel some kind of hope left for them. But reality was cruel and neither could even imagine a life without pain and suffering anymore. At least they had each other, mother and daughter, in this together. They sat for a while longer looking at the stars through the window when they saw a shooting star. They looked at one another and smiled *I wish to be free and to be loved* they both wished. Serena snuggled her mother until she fell asleep. Serenity stayed up a while longer thinking 'Even though I'll never be free at least let her' she stroked her daughters beautiful soft hair lovingly and soon fell asleep herself. ____________________________________  
  
Author's note: Oh my God. You're reading this sentence, and that means you read my story. YAY!!! *does happy dance* Oh yea sorry this story is kind of depressing. It was depressing for me just to write it! But I just posted it to see how people like my writing. So I don't know if I'll finish this or not. So if you like me take a minute and tell me what you think, it'll make my day just knowing you read ^_^ 


	2. Darien gets a job!

The Wounded  
  
By Blue Spyral  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. It's kind of obvious I don't. I'd be rich I tell you RICH!!  
  
~~**~~  
A blonde head shot up as surprisingly loud bells sounded across the arcade. It was only 10 o'clock in the morning and business didn't really pick until about 3'clock in the afternoon. He looked towards the door and saw a tired looking man enter with big dark bags under his eyes. He was wearing dark jeans, a black leather jacket and his dark messed up hair made him look like he just came out of the movie Twister.  
  
"Hey, you look like you need a nice big cup of Joe. You look like hell!" The blonde man said smiling. The dark man looked up and frowned, he was not amused.  
  
"I'll take the coffee," Said the dark man.  
  
"My name's Andrew, may I ask yours?" Andrew stretched out his hand. The darker man looked at Andrew's hand for a second, contemplating weather or not he should tell this oddly cheerful man his name. Finally making up his mind he grabbed his hand.  
  
"Name's Darien, nice to meet you." He said shaking Andrew's hand. Andrew just stared at Darien for a while, making Darien extremely uncomfortable. "Um can you just get the coffee, please? It's been a long last few days," Darien said with a smirk.  
  
"Sure man, do you want anything else?" said Andrew while filling up a mug and handing it to Darien.  
  
"No, I'm fine." Darien looked and around with a confused face. "Why is it so....so-"  
  
"Empty?" Andrew chuckled, "Well It's a school day and most of the customers we get are just a bunch of kids. Hey can you imagine an old couple playing DDR or something, Oh man I would die!" Andrew pulled up his pants, started crouching and jumped on to the DDR machine and just started to bounce up and down slowly, like an old man would. "Come 'ere sonny I'll show you who the real Dancing Queen is...er King, I meant king. Back in my day we didn't have these big unholy contraptions lying around. We had to dance on the street weather it was hot or cold! You had to have a passion!" Andrew put his fist in front of his chest trying to sound dramatic, then he busted out a VERY slow jacked up version of the 'running man'. "I'm about to get my freak on, can you hold my dentures for me?"  
  
"Dear Lord turn your freak off turn your freak off!" By now Darien was practically on the floor laughing so hard his sides started to hurt and tears where coming out of his eyes. Andrew finally stopped dancing and pulled his pants back down. He walked to the counter and started to wipe even though it was as shiny and clean as it can be. Darien finally collected himself and picked himself off the floor and back onto the stool he was sitting on earlier. "Thanks man I really needed that."  
  
"Aw no biggy I'm just a big 'ol goof ball if I do say so myself" Andrew took the empty mug away from Darien. "What brings you here anyway, you don't look like you're from around here."  
  
"Is it that obvious?"  
  
"Yea you looked kinda confused when you first walked in"  
  
"Yea I just got here. I saw the sign outside that said you guys needed more employees"  
  
"Yea it gets pretty crowded in here now. And I can't really handle it all by myself anymore. My dad owns this place and he left it for me to run. It's just me and two other girls."  
  
"How crowded does it get?"  
  
"Eh, just your usual crowdiness." Darien gave Andrew a confused look.  
  
"That doesn't make any sense....as a matter of fact crowdiness isn't even a real word....how the hell does this place run with a guy like you in-"  
  
"Dude is that the way you talk to your boss? I swear there's just no more respect for the working man these days." Andrew looked down at Darien and shook his head. "Where is this world coming to?" Darien stood up in surprise.  
  
"I got the job?!"  
  
"Well now that you said that last thing I'm not sure I should give it to you anymore." Darien looked down.  
  
"Sorry about that."  
  
"Dude I'm just yanking your chain." Andrew chuckled at the disappointed look on Darien's face.  
  
"Oh right! Hey you didn't even ask me any questions."  
  
"Oh okay I guess your not the type to just take what's being offered are you?"  
  
"Guess not."  
  
"Fine I'll ask you the questions." Andrew got out a clipboard and pen from under the counter. "Question number one. Have you ever had experience working in an arcade before?" Darien scratched his head and answered slowly.  
  
"No"  
  
"Have you ever worked in food service?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Are you good with children?"  
  
"I guess so. I talked to this one kid before. I ended up getting kicked in the shin. I swear I didn't know that it was his dog that I kicked! Plus it was getting all close to me and drooling, I thought the dog was a stray an-" Darien quickly shut his mouth once he saw Andrew writing things on the clipboard.  
  
"Dude I don't need to hear it. What will you contribute to the Crown Arcade and Diner community?"  
  
"Um....."  
  
"Describe yourself in one word."  
  
"Um...."  
  
"Would this be your first job?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What are some of your hobbies?"  
  
"The three 'r's; reading, writing, and arithmetic" Darien said smiling, finally one question down.  
  
"Hey why do they call it the three r's when only one of them actually starts with an 'r'?"  
  
"Je ne sais pas"  
  
"Do you speak French?"  
  
"Nope, I just wanted it to seem like I'm actually good for something."  
  
"We don't get that many French speakers."  
  
"That's good; did I mention I don't speak French?"  
  
"I don't remember."  
  
"Again I ask, how is this place still up and running?"  
  
"With people like us my good man."  
  
"Are we done with the questions?"  
  
"Are you out of lame answers?"  
  
"Yessum"  
  
"Good so am I"  
  
"Do I get the job?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Darien was confused again for the umpteenth time today. "Why?" Andrew looked up from the clipboard and smiled at Darien.  
  
"You seem like a real cool dude. Besides you look like you need it." Andrew was silent for a moment. "How old are you man?"  
  
"I just turned 18."  
  
"Ah," Andrew brought a hand up to his face and started to stroke his chin. "I'm only a few years older then you. Are you attending any colleges around here? You seem like a smart guy."  
  
"No." Darien suddenly seemed very interested with taking off invisible lint from his jacket.  
  
"Got family around?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Where you staying tonight?"  
  
"Hotel, I guess."  
  
"You know what? You don't have to stay in any smelly hotel room. My family owns the apartment building right across the street, and there's a few rooms up for lease. I'll let you stay in one of them as long as you go to college and work here" Andrew didn't know why he was being so nice to this young man. It was just something about Darien that made him want to help him. Just looking into the blue eyes of his made it seem like he was a little boy lost in a strange world. But if you looked at the rest of him, you'd see a tall muscular man with his back straight and his chin held up as far as it could go.  
  
Darien hesitated a bit before looking back up at Andrew. He wasn't sure about his offer. For crying out loud he only just met the guy an hour ago. He could be some kind of freak waiting to get him alone so he could butcher him up or something. All of a sudden Darien felt the need to stand and size Andrew up. Darien pushed those silly ideas out of his mind. Andrew was a good guy and he was probably the only person he almost had a real conversation with since....since his mother. Darien shook his head not wanting to think about that right now.  
  
"Sure, I guess I could do that."  
  
___________________________________  
  
Authors note: Thanks to Nadia, Lara1786, Spotted Trout, Goddess-of-Purity, Astrid, Rina, and Unspoiled Rini. You guys all rock!! Sorry this chapter isn't as dramatic as the last one and sorry if it's a little boring hahaha. But next chapter *gasp* Darien and Serena meet! Thank you guys again for reviewing and I hope you guys stick for a while longer. 


	3. Arcade Showdown

The Wounded  
  
By Blue Spyral  
  
Rated: R  
  
Authors note: I'm going to TRY and make this chapter longer then the other two.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. If I owned Sailor Moon do you think I'd be taking the bus almost everyday? Well part of the reason I take the bus is because I don't even have a license -_-  
  
~~@@~~  
  
"You said it was just the 'usual crowdiness!'" Darien yelled at Andrew, frustrated at his new job as waiter. There were kids tugging at him trying to give their order, people yelling at him for getting the orders mixed up and there was this one very agitated customer who has been asking for the check for 15 minutes already.  
  
"Check please!" The customer yelled again. Darien couldn't take it anymore. This job was so stressful! How does Andrew deal with this? Darien cast a glance at Andrew and gritted his teeth. Andrew was just calmly sitting behind the counter talking to a very pretty girl while wiping the counter. 'What the hell!' Darien thought, he was working his ass off and Andrew was flirting with some girl?! It was bad enough that there was only 4 people running this damn place, but what made it even worst was that the other girl, whose name's Serena, hasn't even been to work the whole two days he has been there. Darien saw the schedule it said that she was supposed to be here. If Liz, Andrew's sister, could be here and working the grill on time why can't Serena?!  
  
"Check Please!" The costumer called once again. Something snapped inside Darien. With inhuman like speed he was in the customers face in a second.  
  
"GOD DAMNIT WILL YOU WAIT!?" Darien yelled loudly. All of a sudden the arcade became silent as the noisy crowd shut their mouths. The only thing you could hear was sounds from the arcade games and the customer's loud breathing. The customer that Darien just yelled at was a 300 pound man with a bald head, long beard, tattoos on his arms and he even had some tattoos on his shiny Mr. Clean head. The big customer slowly stood up and looked down at Darien. Darien audibly gulped as the big bald man stared at him with a look that practically screamed 'you're so dead'. "Look sir I am so sorry....." Darien shut his mouth seeing that the man probably wouldn't care about how stressful the job was.  
  
"No you look boy! I've been asking for that check for 15 minutes already. And you're the one yelling at me? Somebody should teach you a lesson and the perfect person to teach it to you would be me," The man cracked his knuckles, "you're about to feel a life times worth of pain in just a matter of minutes." The man swung his fist at Darien, but Darien ducked before the man can touch him.  
  
"Look I'm really sorry for what I did really, just stop it!" Darien pleaded with the man, but Darien couldn't get through to him. The man grabbed Darien's collar and pulled his fist back, getting ready to pummel Darien, but before he could do that Darien pulled his way out of the man's strong hold. He also managed to grab the man's arm and twisted it in away it would break if only Darien just put a little more pressure on it. The man started scream in pain and tried to get his arm out of Darien's strong hold. "I told you to stop, but did you? No, you didn't. And for what you said earlier, the pain that you tried to inflict on me will never amount to the pain that I have already suffered." Darien whispered this to the man and tightened his hold on the man's arm. This movement made the man scream even louder then before.  
  
"STOP IT!" Darien finally realized what he was about to do and immediately let go of the man's arm. He turned to the person who yelled that. It was a young petite blond woman probably around 14-years-old. The girl ran over to the big man who was on one knee holding his arm with the other. "Are you okay Mikey?" the young woman said to the big man. She angrily looked up at Darien, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"  
  
"I...I'm so sorry." Darien whispered softly not looking into the girl's eyes, afraid to find what was there. He looked around and saw all the wide eyes and opened mouths of the children. He looked at Andrew and found out that he too was surprised at his actions. Darien took a step back then another then when he finally couldn't stand the staring anymore he bolted into the backroom to contemplate on what he had just done. ~~@@~~  
  
Once Darien was inside the backroom he silently cursed at himself for his stupid behavior. He brushed his hands through his hair then suddenly pulled at it, he was so frustrated. 'I can't believe I just did that,' He thought. He sat down on the couch that was in the room and held his head in his hands. He thought he was past all that by now. He thought that he was able to control his temper, but now he wasn't so sure. He had been so close to breaking that man's arm and he would have if it weren't for that girl. He thought back to the girl that stopped him. If it weren't for her what else would he have done? In front of all those people too! How could he have been so reckless and so fucking stupid!  
  
~~@@~~  
  
"Okay peoples nothing to see here!" Andrew said as he helped up Mikey," Jeez I've always wanted to say that. Hey Serena, go get an ice pack for Big Mike 'ere." Andrew looked down at Mikey's arm. There was going to be an awful bruise on that arm! 'How the hell did Darien do that?' Andrew thought to himself amazed at the fact that Darien could defend himself against a guy like Mikey.  
  
"Wow Andrew, that new kid you got working here sure can take care of himself." Mikey groaned as he slowly got on his feet.  
  
"Yea weird ain't it Mikey? I thought for sure you'd crush him, but man that guy can fight! You got your ass totally kicked" Andrew started to laugh but immediately stopped once Mikey started to give him the "death glare."  
  
"Hey Andrew I still got one other arm left here." Mikey threatened. Andrew frightened gulped at first but then smirked," What are you smiling at?"  
  
"Well you could try and kick my ass, but then I could just call Darien...." Andrew said still smirking.  
  
"Why you little..." Big Mikey started to inch closer Andrew......  
  
"Mikey!" Serena yelled frustratingly. "Haven't you learned your lesson already?"  
  
"But Andrew started it!" Mikey complained.  
  
"No buts Mikey! You almost got your arm broken today and you want to start ANOTHER fight?" Serena threw up her hands in mock frustration, "Kids these days!"  
  
"Look whose talking short stuff." Mikey said messing up Serena's hair.  
  
"Mikey!" Serena hit Mikey in the stomach, "I should have just let that guy go, probably teach YOU a lesson." Serena walked behind the counter preparing for her shift.  
  
~~@@~~  
  
Darien finally got up from the couch. "Okay all I have to do is apologize then everything would be okay." Darien said to himself. "I could do this I could do this I could do this." He chanted not sure if he really could do this. Maybe he should just pack up and leave; it was probably for the best. What was he thinking going to a place crowded with people when he couldn't even control his anger? He thought back on the promise he made to his mother. Back when he made it, he was so determined to keep it, but now he just didn't know. 'Aw well' he thought, 'it's not like I actually broke his arm anyway. He's a big guy he could handle it.' Darien tried to reassure himself as he walked out of the back room, but right when Darien stepped out he bumped into something soft. When he looked down he got caught in the most amazing blue eyes he's ever seen. It seemed so much like the eyes he saw every time he looked into the mirror. The only thing different was that these eyes had something special in them that made it extra beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off of them; he couldn't even see the rest of her face, just those eyes......  
  
Serena blushed when she bumped into Darien. She was about to go in there and tell him off for almost breaking her friend's arm, but right when she was about to open the door it opened by itself. And now she was in some kind of weird staring contest with him. Serena was uncomfortable with him staring at her like that. No one's ever paid that much attention to her before and now that someone finally is, it was freaking her out big time. For some reason she was never one to look into peoples eyes. Neither did she like it when people stared at her own. She didn't know why. She was always uncomfortable with it, except when it came to her mother of course. She guessed it was because she was afraid of what people might find in them. Afraid that they would reveal her true self, she wasn't the strong woman she presented to the world, she was just a child. Pain lingered there in her eyes, and that was what she wanted to hide the most. She didn't want to burden people with her problems. She was also very embarrassed, embarrassed that she wasn't living in some perfect Brady Bunch family like everyone else did. And that the one person that should be the one protecting her from pain is actually the one that caused it.  
  
"Um excuse me...?" Serena said trying to get him to stop staring. "Um...Hello is anybody in there?" By now Serena was waving her hands in the air but that didn't' work. "Hey!" Now that did it. Serena giggled as Darien jumped in surprise. "I was beginning to think that you were just some mindless zombie or something"  
  
"Mindless maybe, but I'm no zombie that's for sure," Darien finally saw who the eyes belonged to and was surprised that it was the girl from earlier.  
  
"You pulled quite a show out there. All the kids are talking about how you're some kind of super hero." Serena smiled when Darien blushed.  
  
"I'm no superhero, more like a villain to tell you the truth. I'm really sorry about what happened. I didn't want to do that, it just happened. I tried to stop myself honest."  
  
"Eh don't worry about it Mikey's a big guy and you were just trying to protect yourself."  
  
Darien shuddered at those words. He heard them so many times before. Never convinced him once before that what he did was okay. Darien smiled at her anyway and pretended he agreed. "My name is Darien by the way."  
  
"My name is Serena, nice to meet you"  
  
Darien looked at her amazed she was Serena? 'Maybe working here wouldn't be as bad as I thought' Darien thought while shaking Serena's hands.  
  
____________________________________  
  
Author's note: Well there you go. Thanks to Sere&Dare and Sailor-Sara-Moon for reviewing you guys totally rock. I hope you guys liked this chapter and don't forget to review ^_^ 


	4. Happy Times

The Wounded  
  
By Blue Spyral  
  
Rated: R  
  
Authors note: Man I had major authors block...humph that sucked...  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon --  
  
Lying down on her bed Serena stared at the ceiling. Loud music was playing, but she couldn't hear any of it. Her father was right outside the door passed out in front of the television, a bottle of Jack Daniels close by. It was 10 P.M and her mother wasn't home yet because she had to work over time at the hospital to support them. It was kind of ironic her working in a hospital. Women just like Serenity go there when they're fed up with it all and ready to look for help. All of her co workers new the signs but never knew something like that was happening right under their noses. Serena sighed; she wished she could talk to her mother right about now, or actually anybody. Serena constantly needed company, music or television because with only silence it left her mind to wonder. The only thing she dreaded more then her father was her memories. She was always thought of good times when she was alone. It would have been less painful if her father was always the way he was now but that wasn't the case. He was actually a great father, once upon a time...  
  
Flashback  
  
"Blow on it Daddy!" little Serena wailed as Jake cleaned a little scrape on her knee. Serena was learning how to ride her bike without training wheels and she was doing great for the first time, until she looked back and realized that her daddy wasn't holding her up anymore. The fall wasn't that bad but it was still enough to make her cry because of the stinging pain on her knee and the embarrassment of falling in front of her daddy.  
  
Jake blew on the scrape as he continued to wipe the wound in alcohol. "It's okay Sweetie the pain will be gone in just a few." He said gently, still blowing. Jake couldn't be prouder of his daughter. She was doing great for her first time! He remembered the first time he tried to ride his bike without training wheels and it took him most of the day just to keep the bike upright for just a few minutes. 'My little baby is going to do great things. I could already tell!' Jake smiled at the thought. When he was finished he took out the bandages and held it out for her to choose. "Pick one Sailor Moon or Elmo?"  
  
"Um," Serena tapped her lips with her index finger and looked up making it look like it was the biggest decision of her little life, "Sailor Moon!"  
  
"Very good choose." Jake smiled at his daughter while gently putting the bandage on.  
  
"...daddy?" Serena tapped her father on the shoulder to get his attention.  
  
"Yes Sweetie?"  
  
"I don't think I wanna learn how to ride my bike without training wheels no more," Serena looked down.  
  
"Well why not?" Jake said taking hold of one of her little hands.  
  
"It's too hard daddy!"  
  
"Aw Sweetie one little fall doesn't mean you have to quit."  
  
"I know but it hurdid"  
  
"I don't think you should quit over such a little thing Serena, weren't you the one that asked me to teach you." Jake smiled when he saw her bob her head up and down. "Serena if you really want something you have to work hard for it. In life there will always be things trying to get in the way of what you want but if you work hard and keep at it you'll eventually succeed. Do you get what I'm saying?"  
  
"ah uh" Serena mumbled giving her father a confused look. Ken laughed a bit and tried to think of saying it in a way a little child would understand.  
  
"Oh um okay...hmm...Oh I know! Okay when Sailor Moon has to fight one of those monster thingys isn't she always afraid in the beginning?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"But she doesn't let that get in her way of saving her friends does she?"  
  
"No"  
  
"See she doesn't let things like fear get in the way of her goals, can you be like a Sailor Moon for me Hun?"  
  
"I dunno Daddy she has Tuxedo Mask and all the other scouts wif her."  
  
"Well that why you have me!" Jake chuckled.  
  
"Okay then if your gonna help me, I'll be like Sailor Moon!" Serena said standing up.  
  
"Haha so come on lets get you back on that bike!" Jake said grabbing Serena and putting her up on his shoulders. He set her down when they reached her fallen bike and he picked it up. "I know you could do this Sweetie."  
  
"Your gonna watch me right Daddy?" Serena said fear and hope etched in blue eyes of hers.  
  
"Always," Jake said smiling warmly at Serena, "Okay are you ready?"  
  
"Yep" Determined Serena got on her bike and started to peddle without loosing her balance. Jake watched on with pride for his daughter and almost started to tear up a little. He felt arms wrap around him and with out looking back held on to those arms.  
  
"I thought Serena was the only one that watched Sailor Moon in this family." Serenity whispered in her husband's ear. Jake turned around to face his wife.  
  
"I just can't help it Sere I love that show!" They laughed together.  
  
"You're such a weirdo you know that?" Serenity teased.  
  
"I remember a time when you said that, that was why you loved me." Jake pouted.  
  
"I still do."  
  
"I love you." Jake said while brushing away a stray lock of hair from her face.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
End Flashback  
  
By now Serena was crying her heart out. Why couldn't her dad be like that anymore? He's changed so much and she didn't even see it coming. Serena heard her father yelling outside her door and knew that he had already woken up. She needed to get out of the house. She couldn't face him right now, it was just too hard. She got up from her bed and looked around. It seemed like her walls were going to close in on her. She climbed out window and just started to walk. If some one asked her to pin point exactly where everything started go wrong she wouldn't be able to answer them. She knew it started when her father lost his job. It had been a big change for them all. Serena's mother had to go back to work because Jake couldn't find a job. It was a real blow to his ego to. He's always been the one to support them and was confident enough in his own abilities to let his wife quit her job because he was sure he would always be able to support them. He thought he failed as a husband and a father. Serena and her mother never thought that though. They always used to look up to him and they tried to show him, but he never listened. He began to drink and go to bars late at night. At first it was once a week, then twice a week, and then to a point where he find himself getting drunk everyday. At night he'd come home drunk and passed out near the door. Other nights he wouldn't even come home and Serena and her mother where left to worry about him.  
  
Serena finally stopped moving her feet and looked up. She wasn't really surprised when she ended up in front on Crown. She often came there when she was afraid, sad, or alone. It was kind of like her sanctuary. She wasn't really old enough to work but since she was really good friends with Andrew he trusted her enough to work there. She wiped at her tears not wanting Andrew to know she's been crying again. Andrew was the only one that knew about Serena's situation, but he never said anything. He respected Serena's wishes to keep it on the down low but pleaded with her almost every day to get help. Serena opened the door and as usual no one was there. Only a certain ebony haired man hunched over a rather think book can be spotted.  
  
"Hey..." Serena greeted Darien. Darien looked up from his book and smiled at her.  
  
"Hey yourself. What are you doing here?" Darien questioned, he was the only one scheduled to work at this time. He walked around the counter to sit himself next to Serena. He looked closely and saw that her eyes were red and her face was slightly damp. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing really, I just wanted to talk to Andrew. Is he here?"  
  
"Oh sorry he went out with that girl he's been flirting with all week." Darien said with a sigh.  
  
"You don't look so happy about that, why?" Serena giggled, she was happy about it.  
  
"He left me with the late shift and I have to study for a test." Darien shook his head.  
  
"Aw come on it ain't that bad. Now you get to hang out with me!" Serena said happily.  
  
"Lucky me," Was the sarcastic reply.  
  
"Hey! You are lucky!" By now Serena forgot about her father. She never really got to talk to Darien, besides that one time when they bumped into each other. She was always happy when she got to meet new people. She couldn't help it, she was a people person.  
  
"I think I'd be even luckier if I pass this test!"  
  
"Dude its Friday!" Serena threw up her hands.  
  
"Yea and?"  
  
"There should be a law against that! Friday nights is supposed to be fun and exciting, they're times when you could just relax and hang with friends and watch movies."  
  
"Yea Fridays are good for those kind of things. But answer me this, what kind of grades are YOU getting?" Darien said while crumpling up a piece of paper and throwing it in Serena's face. Serena's face turned red from embarrassment and anger. She threw the paper back in his face and "humphed"  
  
"Well I gotta C in math, but you got an F on having fun!" Serena crossed her arms in front of her chest.  
  
"Having fun class? Sorry missy but I don't go to any clown colleges. Maybe you should apply to one, hey maybe you'll even get a scholarship!" Darien laughed when he saw the angry look on her face.  
  
"I can't believe you just said that!" Serena took the thick book from the counter and started to swing. "You're gonna be sorry once I'm done with you Darien! Feel my wrath!" Darien's eyes widened and screamed like a little girl. An angry Serena was a very VERY bad thing. "Come 'ere you little punk, I'll show you who's a clown!" The chase began Darien shot out of his chair and was quickly followed by Serena. Darien ran towards the dining area and tried putting chairs between them to trip her but it didn't work, she just jumped over them. So he dashed over to the backroom and closed the door behind him. Serena pushed as hard as could, "Darien you can't run from me!"  
  
"Okay okay okay! I'm sorry don't hurt me!" Darien yelled over the door.  
  
"Sorry isn't good enough!" Serena yelled back.  
  
"What if I said I'll buy you a chocolate milkshake?" bribed Darien, praying to what ever God was up there that she wouldn't kill him.  
  
"I'd say you're forgiven, but I want an extra large milkshake!" Serena said as she stopped pushing on the door.  
  
"Sure whatever you want." Darien opened the door and smiled down at Serena.  
  
Serena sat back down into the stool she was sitting on earlier and waited patiently for her milkshake Mamoru was still making. Once Darien was finished with it he walked over to Serena and set the milkshake down. "Here you go, an extra large double chocolate milkshake for the beautiful, the charming, the horrifying Serena Carter."  
  
"Hey!" Serena indignantly snorted at him. "Horrifying? Please, I'm an angel."  
  
"I didn't know there were angels were you came from." Darien teased.  
  
"And just were do you think I came from hmm Darien?" She said as she shot him "the death glare" she learned from Mikey.  
  
"Um hehehe what I meant was I didn't know there was such beautiful and smart angels in heaven." Darien smiled innocently.  
  
"Aw you flatter me Darien." Serena said trying to act modest.  
  
"Don't you know it!" Darien said blowing on his nails and wiping it on his shirt.  
  
"Well tonight Darien you're gonna forget about that silly test and hang with me tonight!"  
  
Darien thought for a second. Well he really did have to study for that test, but a whole night with Serena how could he pass that up? He was already having fun with her and he wanted to get to know her a little bit more. Plus he saw the way she looked when she first came in. It looked like she had been crying. Seeing her like that rubbed Darien the wrong way, and if failing a test was the price to pay for making Serena happy he would do it.  
  
Author's note: YeeUP there you go! I don't think I'm really happy with this story though....But if you like it review Thanks to Sailor-Sara-Moon, Serena 79, EternalSenshi(thanks!), unspoiled rini, Karina, Sere&Dere, Nayton(even though I forced you to read this!!), and Kya 


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